Mark Pope Makes Impassioned Case For BYU Football To Crack Into Playoff

PROVO, Utah  – BYU head basketball coach Mark Pope will always give you a great answer, even if it is about BYU football. You ask a question; he’s going to try his hardest to give you an answer.

Pope hopped on the college basketball podcast “Titus & Tate” to preview his team in the upcoming 2020-21 season. But the show host, Mark Titus, also gave Pope a chance to show some love for the undefeated BYU football team to get into the College Football Playoff.

🗣 "Don't be scared college football! Let the Cougs have a chance to prove exactly who they are!"@byubasketball's @CoachMarkPope couldn't leave his interview with @clubtrillion and @tatefrazier without making the case for @BYUFootball in the CFP 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JGjWDPiTCO

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 20, 2020

“Come on, man. Are you serious? Are you serious? Zach Wilson! Have you seen the golden boy’s arm? I mean, this kid is torching people,” Pope said. “You know why they’re not going to let him in the Playoff? Because people are going to be embarrassed, that’s all this kid is doing. This offensive line, I mean it’s like 6-7, 320, straight across the line. It’s unbelievable what these football guys are doing, man. It’s been so fun to watch.”

Mark Pope makes the Playoff case for BYU Football

If Kalani Sitake will take a more reserved approach to make his team’s case for the Playoff, hooper Mark Pope is happy to fill the gap and stump for the Cougs.

“I will tell you this, that these guys started out the year playing maybe one of the toughest schedules in the country, in terms of what they had on their schedule, and COVID took it away,” said Pope. “And all they’ve done is come and just completely dominate every single opponent. Don’t be scared, College Football! Let the Cougs have a chance to prove exactly who they are … KALANI SITAKE!”

On Tuesday, we will see if the Playoff Committee will take the advice of a man like Mark Pope and rank the Cougar football team with the upper crust of teams on the gridiron. Whether they do or not is beside the point, Mark Pope made an impassioned case for Kalani Sitake’s Cougars.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.